ASML

ASML is a Dutch multinational and a global innovation leader in the semiconductor industry. Founded in 1984 as a joint venture between Philips and ASM International, it originally stood for “Advanced Semiconductor Materials Lithography” . Headquartered in Veldhoven, the Netherlands, ASML employs over 44,000 people across more than 60 locations worldwide .

ASML designs, develops, and manufactures photolithography systems including extreme ultraviolet (EUV) and deep ultraviolet (DUV) machines that are essential for chipmakers to mass-produce patterns on silicon wafers . Its hardware, software, and service solutions enable the production of smaller, faster, and more energy-efficient microchips, advancing technology in sectors ranging from smartphones to medical devices .

ASML holds a near-monopoly on EUV lithography systems, the most advanced machines currently used worldwide, and is listed on both the Euronext Amsterdam and Nasdaq exchanges .